Coming to a Brew Near You: Calorie Counts, Carbs Info

THURSDAY, July 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Calorie counts and carbs might be the last thing on your mind as you tip back a cold beer on a steamy summer evening. But that information and more will soon be easy to find, thanks to a new coalition of U.S. beer makers and importers.

The coalition has developed a voluntary labeling program to detail what's in its beers, a Beer Institute news release said.

Beer labels will provide calorie, carbohydrate, protein, fat and alcohol-by-volume or alcohol-by-weight information. All ingredients will be disclosed on the label, either on a list of ingredients, a smartphone QR code, or on a website. Beer labels or containers will also clearly display a freshness date or date of production.

All of the major breweries have agreed to be a part of the coalition. These companies include: Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Heineken USA, Constellation Brands Beer Division, North American Breweries and Craft Brew Alliance. These brands account for more than 81 percent of volume of beer sold in the United States, the Beer Institute said.

Consumers will likely start seeing these labels in the near future. Participating companies are urged to have their product lines in compliance with the new guidelines by the end of 2020.